Hot chocolate - What do you think makes the best hot chocolate?

beanflying

Will there be samples for the unpaid market research ;D For customers I have been running 100% Cocoa powders. Rounded teaspoon dissolved in a little hot water add milk and steam. We run the 2 Cocoas from offered on CS at about 90% dutch processed to 10% of the African style (spicy and earthy). I have tried a few of the better pre sugared cocoas and been really unimpressed with the flavour for a start. Interestingly enough less Hot Choc customers add sugar than Coffee customers out of habit even with the unsweetened cocoa. At home love a slight grind of chilli over the African on a winters night. 🙂

WotB

shape_shifter wrote:

WotB, a bit like Max Brennar? I've never been there, sorry, never tasted it, I walked into one today but walked out with nothing as I wasn't sure. I know they do a cup one where you melt the chocolate over heat and suck it through a metal straw.

It certainly won't be your typical hot chocolate, more of a European style, less milk, more choc. You can have a muck around with some 63% couverture from Plaistowe. It won't break the bank compared to others and it's pretty easily accessible from major supermarkets. I've had some wild flavours coming out of a Weiss couverture, single origin Brazil. Not everyone's liking, but enjoyable for what it is.

Muscles

I've been mucking around with the chocolate syrup from Alchemy Cordials and adding some extra couveture choc and/or 70% cocoa in varying ratios. Haven't settled on a "recipe" yet so this thread interests me.

adelaidecoffee wrote:

Currently we have some of Willy's cocao in the cupboard. You may of seen his show on sbs or abc about his chocolate.

I liked the series and have been tempted to get some myself... Did you buy it locally or from Willy's site?

adelaidecoffee

Muscles wrote:

I liked the series and have been tempted to get some myself... Did you buy it locally or from Willy's site?

There is a stockist here in Adelaide.... hot2trot on o'connel rd if anyone here in SA interested. This is where i got mine from.

askthecoffeeguy

At my work we use a blend of 45% cocao and the balance sugar - and add hot water to make a syrup, then blend this with milk in the glass For best results we add around 40mls of thick syrup to the bottom of a latte glass and then top to 3/4 full with steamed milk - then steam the contents of the glass to blend ingredients, and fill to the top with textured milk to provide a creamy, layered effect - delicious!

Dry_bean

adelaidecoffee wrote:

There is a stockist here in Adelaide.... hot2trot on o'connel rd if anyone here in SA interested. This is where i got mine from.

Morning AC, guess you mean O'Connell Street North Adelaide. 🙂

adelaidecoffee

askthecoffeeguy wrote:

At my work we use a blend of 45% cocao and the balance sugar - and add hot water to make a syrup, then blend this with milk in the glass For best results we add around 40mls of thick syrup to the bottom of a latte glass and then top to 3/4 full with steamed milk - then steam the contents of the glass to blend ingredients, and fill to the top with textured milk to provide a creamy, layered effect - delicious!

Yours sounds really good if you were in SA i'd come and visit. Sounds as though you have experimented a bit to get the best hot choc you can.

Dry bean. wrote:

Morning AC, guess you mean O'Connell Street North Adelaide. 🙂

Thats the one, maybe around no.85.

blackbird

Lots of people using their own cocoa mix and not chocolate, nice to see, I thought most cafes used preblended mixed ones, has anyone tried any good hot chocolate mixes?

Koffee_Kosmo

blackbird wrote:

Lots of people using their own cocoa mix and not chocolate, nice to see, I thought most cafes used preblended mixed ones, has anyone tried any good hot chocolate mixes?

If you haven't already noticed Most members are a little pedantic with the consumption of Coffee, Tea, Chocolate We like to do things in the most flavoursome, wholesome & traditional way My method is 100% cocoa powder in a 50% / 50% mix with sticky brown sugar Add hot water over the cocoa powder, stir to melt & liquefy it Add the sugar and add a little more hot water if required again stir to melt & liquefy Steam milk on the coffee machine and add it progressive to the waiting chocolate while stirring Finish off with a little foam on top Sometimes I melt down 85% chocolate and follow the above again KK

blackbird

Yeah noticed that, I like good quality chocolate for hot chocolates or a nice mix with some dutch processed cocoa personally.

beanflying

blackbird wrote:

Lots of people using their own cocoa mix and not chocolate, nice to see, I thought most cafes used preblended mixed ones, has anyone tried any good hot chocolate mixes?

Your 'average' cafe will do whatever is easiest. Without wanting to stereotype a group either the Mum's with kids in tow want their drink hot, sweet, with flavour being a distant third in most cases preblended brand X will do the job 😛 . If you used a sugar/cocoa/choc blend or not some people will still throw in 2 more sugars without tasting first regardless. I am a little interested to try some of the prepak single serve options and see if they are better than what I currently do. I can get some couverture choc too so as winter is here time for some more playing.

adelaidecoffee

beanflying wrote:

Your 'average' cafe will do whatever is easiest. Without wanting to stereotype a group either the Mum's with kids in tow want their drink hot, sweet, with flavour being a distant third in most cases preblended brand X will do the job 😛 . If you used a sugar/cocoa/choc blend or not some people will still throw in 2 more sugars without tasting first regardless.

Most/many have no desire or intention of changing or doing anything that will see improvement. Some stick with the market they cater for and see no reason to change, unless of course they can get a cheaper product. Some dont know what the heck they are doing. Quality of ingredients, experimentation and good execution seperates the best from the rest. Enough ramble :🙂 .... wheres the coffee?

askthecoffeeguy

I also have a SO Ecuadorian 65% coco blend at my work but really speaking its too dark and 'bitter' for most punters - although there are definitely some aficionados out there myself included who like it!

CodyDeegan

im not much into sweet but for hot chocolate i like the bitter sweet taste..

Gra

I am not hot chocolate drinker but the wife likes a cup so I picked up a 1kg of this and she likes it not to sweet. Zokoko is the new brand of fine chocolate products made by Dean Morgan - a highly experienced and talented coffee roaster. Zokoko Drinking Chocolate uses a non-alkalised organic cocoa powder and organic sugar blend. A sweet and satisfying chocolate indulgence. Contains 30% cocoa solids. Gluten Free. Dairy Free. The organic drinking chocolate is made from scratch from cocoa beans bought from ethically-sound, organically certified farms in the Domincan Republic. The cocoa is guaranteed to use no child labour in it's production. The result is a very fine drinking chocolate - not as sweet or strong as some commercial brands, but tuned to more adult tastes. Gra..

Brett_H

Gra wrote:

I am not hot chocolate drinker but the wife likes a cup so I picked up a 1kg of this and she likes it not to sweet. Zokoko is the new brand of fine chocolate products made by Dean Morgan - a highly experienced and talented coffee roaster. Zokoko Drinking Chocolate uses a non-alkalised organic cocoa powder and organic sugar blend. A sweet and satisfying chocolate indulgence. Contains 30% cocoa solids. Gluten Free. Dairy Free. The organic drinking chocolate is made from scratch from cocoa beans bought from ethically-sound, organically certified farms in the Domincan Republic. The cocoa is guaranteed to use no child labour in it's production. The result is a very fine drinking chocolate - not as sweet or strong as some commercial brands, but tuned to more adult tastes. Gra..

We've had this as well as the two BB offerings. My favorite however is Arkadia Chocolata Doro which steams into a wonderful thick rich drink. I've found that by steaming it into the milk it doesn't form a skin unlike stove-top methods.

Koffee_Kosmo

OK with all this talk of hot chocolate and the weather just perfect for it I decide to make one or two You see the daughter likes a good hot chocolate I asked what would she like in terms of sweetness & mouth feel She said dad you make it sweet enough but can I have it feel like mouse plese Hmmmm I said I mixed the cocoa & sugar as I noted above and placed it aside in the cup to be used I then steamed milk to stiff foam at about 1/3 past cappuccino I poured the thin part of the milk in the cocoa mixture and gave it a stir Then followed it with the thick foam I folded the foam in with a spoon to keep the mixture thick and presented it for appraisal All I got was mmmm, mmmm, mmmm Made one for myself So call it a success of a light & fluffy mouse style hot chocolate KK

Dry_bean

This is what the SMH suggests in the Sydney area. :-\ http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/restaurants-and-bars/three-of-a-kind--hot-chocolate-20110709-1h7ed.html

beanflying

Dry bean. wrote:

This is what the SMH suggests in the Sydney area. :-\

Interesting read. But at $5.80 for a hot chocolate and people whinge about $3.50 for a coffee :🙂 Still some interesting twists on the hot choc theme.

blackbird

Yeah not sure about the SMH poll, as I havent been to those cafes etc in Sydney Interesting discussing peoples views of hot chocolate and cacao. Does any one have interesting ideas for hot chocolate, I tried a nice vanilla toffee flavour that tasted like honeycomb and creme burlee.

« Previous Page